Page 2981 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 15 September 2015
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Public notices are an important source of information for the community and business, and we need to ensure that they are communicated in a number of ways that will be the most effective means of reaching the intended audience. This change will maximise the efficiency and effectiveness of our communications in accordance with legislative requirements. It complements other initiatives to increase the awareness of information, including the whole-of-government digital mail service which enables the electronic distribution of ACT government communications, including statutory notices.
The revised definition of “public notice” in the bill does not preclude the option of advertising in a newspaper, and newspapers will continue to be used in circumstances where they are considered the most effective communication method for the intended audience. Our local media is an important component of ACT community life, and the government will continue to engage with all public media channels to deliver information to the community. I foresee an ongoing contribution of the print media in reaching out on public issues. While complementing work to make Canberra a digital economy, the government expects newspapers to remain an important tool for communicating with a section of the public.
In December last year I announced the establishment of Access Canberra. Since then Access Canberra has brought together a number of customer service and regulatory arms of government to provide a one-stop shop for government information and services. It certainly has achieved a lot in red tape reduction and has improved access to regulatory services for businesses and individuals in that short period.
This bill includes amendments to the Public Sector Management Act to allow the head of Access Canberra to exercise and delegate relevant functions in undertaking this role. It is an important reform that supports further enhancement of the way the community connects with government and will ensure Access Canberra can deliver services to business and the broader community in the most efficient way possible.
The government will continue to work closely with industry and the community in progressing regulatory reforms and specific legislative amendments such as these. We will continue to engage with stakeholders on those regulations that impose unnecessary burdens, costs or disadvantages on business activity within the territory, including through the regulatory reform panel, which is a key forum for feedback on red tape reduction opportunities.
The next reform the bill proposes is a reduction in the reporting requirements for employers in the territory in regard to workers compensation insurance. At present territory employers are required to provide a six-monthly statement, known as a wage declaration, to their insurers describing the number of paid and unpaid workers, total wages paid and the approximate amount of time each worker worked for the employer during the reporting period.
The amendments will provide now for annual rather than six-monthly reporting by employers to insurers under the Workers Compensation Act. This change is estimated to remove around 70,000 extra administrative transactions undertaken by employers,
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